As South Africa commemorates Youth Month 2025, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) proudly marked a decade of collaboration with the Green Youth Indaba. The milestone was celebrated at the annual Green Youth Career Expo, which drew large numbers to the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Westville Campus on 17 June 2025.

Visionary young leaders, policy architects, grassroots changemakers and private sector partners convened at this year's summit, which was held under the theme "Skills for a Changing World – Embracing Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation."

The expo was followed by high-level engagements at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 19 June 2025, at which Dr Mmboneni Muofhe, the DSTI's Deputy Director-General: Socio-Economic Innovation Partnerships, spoke of "an enduring partnership aimed at empowering young leaders across Africa to thrive in the green economy."

Muofhe spoke of the DSTI's commitment to green innovation and entrepreneurship, referring to the Circular Economy Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy and the Circular Economy Demonstration Fund as pivotal tools for youth-driven innovation.

"We are intentionally positioning the youth at the forefront of the circular economy. From smart retail concepts to sustainable construction using recycled materials, innovation is not just a concept – it is already transforming communities," he said.

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, echoed Muofhe's sentiments, highlighting the importance of hosting the gathering during Youth Month.

"This indaba is more than an event; it is a platform for transformation – for placing young people at the heart of South Africa's green economy," Minister Nkabane stated.

She outlined government-led initiatives designed to bridge skills gaps and accelerate youth participation in the green transition, including the Just Energy Transition (JET) Skills Desk, green hydrogen value chain training programmes, and skills development zones aligned with national decarbonisation goals.

"The green economy is not just about emissions; it is about inclusion, dignity and creating meaningful opportunities for millions of young people ready to rise," she said.

Nkabane further reaffirmed government commitment to an approach that saw young people not merely as beneficiaries of green policy, but as co-creators of the just energy transition.

"This is a generational undertaking. You are not passengers in this transition – you are pilots," said the Minister.

The indaba also showcased inspiring examples of homegrown innovations, including Electri-Coal Technologies, an innovative renewable energy and smart utilities enterprise.

This youth-led green technology startup has grown significantly since its early days. With the support of the DSTI and its entity the Technology Innovation Agency, Mr Mfanelo Ndlela, founder of the start-up, said that his entrepreneurial journey had taken him beyond the borders of South Africa.

"Today, we stand with international memoranda of understanding, commercial agreements and patented technologies," he said.

Ndlela's Smart Water Management System, now integrated with utilities like Umgeni Water, monitors water quality and flow in real time to ensure that national potable standards are met. The system is a testament to how youth innovators are addressing pressing climate and infrastructure challenges.

Among other things, the 10th Green Youth Indaba programme featured entrepreneur empowerment hubs, designed to equip young entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship and networks needed to turn green ideas into scalable, sustainable enterprises.

The 10 year celebration also served as a powerful call to action, solidarity and the co-creation of a sustainable, inclusive and economically vibrant South Africa led by those who will inherit the planet.

Issued by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.

For more information, please contact Mr Pontsho Mantlhakga at 072 346 5219 or Pontsho.Mantlhakga@dsti.gov.za.

Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Steve Letsike says the scourge of teenage pregnancy is not only a health concern but a threat to the nation’s social and moral fibre and future prosperity.

“Teenage pregnancy is robbing too many of our girls of their childhood and their future, and it will take all of us working together to turn the tide,” Letsike said.

Addressing a stakeholder engagement in Pretoria earlier today aimed at addressing the persistent ongoing scourge of teenage pregnancy in South Africa, Letsike said in 2024 alone, over 90 000 pregnancies were recorded among girls aged 10 to 19 and 2 328 of those pregnancies were in girls between 10 and 14 years old.

“To call this alarming would be an understatement. These are children, some barely in their teens, some not even teenagers, now forced into motherhood,” Letsike said.

Letsike said a child as young as 10 becoming pregnant was not just a statistic but evidence of a profound societal failure and a horrific crime because a girl that young cannot legally give consent.

“This crisis threatens the very foundation of our social and economic development as teenage pregnancy poses a serious threat to the health, rights, education and socio-economic well-being of girls.

“When a young girl becomes a mother, her chances of finishing school plummet, her job prospects diminish and she often becomes trapped in a cycle of poverty.

“In other words, today’s teen pregnancy is tomorrow’s poverty and inequality. We must recognise this as not only a public health issue but a social justice emergency,” the Deputy Minister said.

Letsike said the high incidence of adolescent pregnancy in the country was interlinked with other scourges of HIV and other STI infection rates, child sexual abuse, statutory rape, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), poverty, educational exclusion, substance abuse and even toxic elements of popular culture.

“To craft effective solutions, we must honestly confront how and why so many young girls are getting pregnant,” Letsike said.

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said teenage pregnancy in South Africa has reached deeply concerning levels with more than 90 000 births recorded among girls aged 10 to 19.

“These are not just numbers, they are a stark reflection of our socio-economic challenges and a call to action. Teenage pregnancy is more than a health crisis,” she said.

Mhlauli said the response to teenage pregnancy must be urgent, coordinated and compassionate.

“Government cannot do this work alone. We need the support of all pillars of society, parents, faith leaders, educators, civil society, the media and the private sector.

“As the Presidency, we are committed to supporting this cause through improved coordination, targeted interventions and policy coherence because the future of our country depends on the safety, empowerment and well-being of our children,” she said.

Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Board Asanda Luwaca said “young girls are our sisters, our classmates, our cousins, our peers and children”.

“It is an indictment of our inability, as a collective, to fully protect the bodies, rights and dreams of girls, especially those from poor, rural and marginalised communities, especially differently abled.

“We know that teenage pregnancy is not a standalone issue. It is deeply interwoven with child sexual abuse, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), educational exclusion, toxic gender norms, substance abuse, and the predatory dynamics of poverty,” she said.

Luwaca said teenage pregnancy was not just about health, but injustice.

“It is about gender inequality, poverty, exploitation, broken family systems, absent accountability and a dangerous silence that protects perpetrators more than it protects girls.

“And until we confront these intersecting issues head-on with honesty, bravery and unflinching determination, we will continue to fail the young women of this nation. South Africa has the policies. We have the frameworks. What we need now is unapologetic implementation across every level of society,” Luwaca said.

The engagement with stakeholders is part of an initiative to establish a Roadmap to South Africa’s Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Management Response. –

The Presidency moved quickly on Wednesday to clarify that passports are still required. This followed what it called a misunderstanding of remarks President Cyril Ramaphosa made at the opening of the SA-Nigeria Bi-National Commission a day earlier.

Following his address, it was widely reported that Nigerian nationals no longer need a passport to apply for a visa to come to South Africa, but this is not the case.

The Presidency clarified in a statement that prospective travellers can apply for their visas without submitting their passports along with their applications. But they must submit a certified copy of the biopage of the passport with the application. The actual passport should be availed during the application process for verification and confirmation.

The passport will indeed be submitted once the visa has been approved for it to be affixed in the passport.

“Once a visa has been approved, they are required to submit their passports for the process to be completed and for the visa to be affixed in the passport. These changes have improved the customer experience while ensuring the security and integrity of the overall visa application process,” the statement read.

The initial misunderstanding apparently came when President Ramaphosa referred to the simplified visa process for Nigerian nationals. “In addition, tourists from Nigeria are now able to apply for a visa without submitting a passport,” he said according to the published speech.

According to the Presidency, the President referred to the work underway to modernise and streamline visa application processes worldwide, and said South African missions in Nigeria have improved the efficiency and convenience of applying for a visa. This is part of the visa reforms initiated by the South African government to enable economic activities and boost tourism while protecting the national security.

“The modernisation of the visa application process does not compromise the integrity of the visa system,” the Presidency said in the statement.

Triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy is a recently identified heart condition that impairs the breakdown of triglycerides in heart cells, ultimately leading to heart failure. Researchers are actively exploring effective treatment options for this condition.


A recent study investigated the effects of tricaprin, a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) found in coconut oil and dairy products, on individuals with triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy. Participants who received tricaprin supplementation experienced significant cardiac benefits compared to those who did not. These benefits included improved fat metabolism, sustained heart failure recovery, enhanced left ventricular function, and increased long-term survival rates.


The findings highlight the potential of tricaprin as a promising intervention for improving heart failure outcomes in individuals with triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy. Experts continue to explore the most effective treatments for emerging heart conditions.